photoediting
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GoodTimes for Mac lets you create sophisticated photo collages
Update: The GoodTimes app is actually normally priced at $19.99, but was on sale during the holidays for $9.99. Our apologies for the mixup. GoodTimes is a US$40 OS X app (on sale for $19.99 as of this writing) US$19.99 app that creates unique photo collages without requiring any deep computer skills on the part of the user. The app is template driven, and contains 30 templates, plus 130 objects to insert and manipulate, 30 backgrounds and 25 frames. Frame sizes can be manipulated, along with color and textures. Themes include things like vacations, parties, families and love. The app contains spoken and graphic tutorials, but really, GoodTimes is easy to figure out because tool tips are available for most controls. Your finished collage can be shared with Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and email, as well as Mountain Lion sharing. %Gallery-174538% I found the app easy to use, and was able to create some very nice collages that would have been tricky in a high-end photo editor like Photoshop. If you run out of templates, you can create your own, but that takes some skill. I tried using the app on some landscape photos, and the results looked nice. My only gripe is the app's high price of $40 $20. While Mac apps often sell for more than the iOS variety, I don't think this is the kind of app a person will constantly use. Still, GoodTimes proved to be reliable, and the output was quite attractive. There are enough options so that you can fiddle with a theme and make it unique. If you are wanting simpler collages at a lower price, take a look at Diptic, which is now available for OS X for $0.99. GoodTimes is a 593 MB download due to all the high-quality picture elements, and it requires OS X 10.7 or later. Check the gallery for some screen shots I grabbed while working with the app.
PowerSketch for iPhone turns photos into drawings
PowerSketch is a US$0.99 app from the developers of PowerCam that takes any image and applies a variety of filters to turn the image into what looks like comic book art or a pencil drawing, and add effects like rice paper, neon and more. The app supports live preview and can operate your iPhone camera, or you can pull something from your camera roll. Finished photos can be sent via email, Facebook or Instagram directly from the app. I found the app does what it advertises, and there are plenty of choices. You can even create collages. Like all filter-type apps, you can overdo it, but this would be a nice app to take a holiday photo and turn it into art for a card to send to friends and families. It also has some nice effects on portraits, but some, of course, can be pretty grotesque. This is the kind of thing you can do in Photoshop or other image editing programs, but it's nice to bring this to the iPhone. While other photo filter apps can do similar effects, this is one dedicated to doing these high contrast pencil and other type renderings to your photos. The app is easy to use, and there is built-in help and a welcome screen with instructions. One downside, and I see this all too often, is that this is an iPhone and iPod touch app. It is not universal, and while it ran on my iPad, I had to scale it up 2X. I think the larger screen lends itself to photo editing, and it is a mystery why so many apps aren't universal. Still, Powersketch is a nice addition to your arsenal of photo editing tools, and certainly worth the $0.99 price. The app requires iOS 4.3 or later and supports iOS 6 and the iPhone 5 and latest iPod touch. %Gallery-172541%
Camera Awesome is now iPad native
I liked Camera Awesome for iPhone (free) when I tested it last spring. It's a feature-rich app that helps you compose an excellent shot and then edit your image to perfection. Camera Awesome is now universal and ready for the iPad. If you already have the iPhone version, look for it to show up on your iPad. I never thought much of the iPad as a camera platform, but I've learned over time that many people do use it as a camera, and appreciate the larger display for the viewfinder and when editing. The app presents several guides while you compose your shot, including moveable focus and exposure points. It also helps you get the horizon level, and offers overlays to assist in the overall composition of your image. There is also a helpful slow and fast burst mode for capturing action, as well as selectable timers for triggering the photo. %Gallery-167510% Once the picture is taken, you get quite a few editing tools, including a button called "awesomize" which adjusts white balance, color saturation and curves to give you a pleasing image with just a tap. There are some basic filters, cropping tools and some frames. The app also supports video. If you want more from the app, there are in-app purchases. Those purchases can add presets and filters. If you want them all, it's a US$10 toll. Pictures can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, SmugMug (the creator of the app), Picasa, Photobucket and Flickr. Camera Awesome is a very capable app, even at the free level. SmugMug sees it as a portal to the many other services it offers, like printing and sharing, but you can certainly use it as a standalone app. Having this app finally be universal is most welcome. It's worth a download. The app requires iOS 5 or greater.
Adobe announces Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11 with new filters, more beginner-friendly UI
Earlier this year Adobe announced Photoshop CS6 with a new user interface, and now Elements, its line of beginner-level products, is getting a facelift too. The company just introduced Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11, and while the two apps include a handful of new photo- and video-editing features, the bigger story is that they're designed to be less intimidating to newbies. Both have a more readable UI, for instance, as opposed to the old theme with the dark background and low-contrast icons. Things like preview thumbnails have been brought to the forefront so that they're easier to find. Also, both pieces of software ship with a re-tooled image organizer that puts commonly used functions front and center, with lesser-used features like keyword tagging hidden in the menus. The organizer also now has Google Maps integration, so you can view your shots on a map. You can also for the first time view by event, or by the names of people tagged in photos. As for new features, Photoshop Elements is getting a series of new comic-inspired filters, including "Pen and Ink," "Graphic Novel" and, yes, "Comic." Photoshop Elements now allows European customers to upload photos to Cewe, while Premiere Elements supports Vimeo uploads. (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly and SmugMug sharing were already built in.) Amateur videographers will also enjoy a series of new Hollywood-inspired filters, including Red Noir, a "Sin City"-esque effect with red accents, and "Pandora," which is meant to evoke "Avatar." Finally, you can use Time Remapping and Reverse Time to speed up footage or slow it down, respectively. Fans of the software will notice the pricing hasn't changed: the two apps cost $100 each, or $150 as a bundle. Folks who are upgrading will pay $80 a pop, or $120 for both. Look for both on Adobe's site today, with the old-fashioned boxed software hitting retailers soon.
Google acquires iOS photo app Snapseed
Snapseed is a popular iOS photography app around here at TUAW -- not only have we spotlighted it a few different times, but the app also won a coveted Apple Design Award back in 2011. And now here's news that Google appreciates the app as well: The ad and search giant has acquired the developer of Snapseed, Nik Software, and reportedly plans to use the company and its technology to update its own photo editing and sharing tools. Nik also provides a number of excellent and popular plugins for other popular photo editing tools like Aperture, and for now, those plugins remain available for sale on the website. Presumably, that won't change, but we'll see what happens in the future. It sounds like Nik is still figuring things out post-acquisition, so any changes to Snapseed or those plugins are still yet to be determined. [via The Verge]
Adobe Revel 1.5 released with new UI, text captions and auto-syncing albums
Adobe's cloud-based photo storage and editing app has been enjoying its new name since it hopped off the Carousel, and now it's appreciating a feature bump too. Version 1.5 has just hit the virtual shelves of the Mac and iTunes stores, complete with a new UI and the option to log in using Facebook or Google accounts. Functionality wise, the update adds text captioning for your snaps and the ability to create albums which auto-sync across your devices and can be shared with others via the web. Alright, so the update isn't revolutionizing the service, but we're sure those that currently subscribe are reveling in it.
Blinq Photo will save and share your images
Blinq Photo lets you access, share and edit photos on a home computer remotely. Its purpose is to provide users with a free solution for creating and sharing photos and albums. I found it to be simple and effective and requires very little fuss. Let me walk you through the process of getting Blinq Photo set up: Install Blinq Photo on your Mac. It's free in the Mac App Store. Create an account. Watch as Blinq Photo scans your iPhoto and/or Aperture Libraries, tagging each photo and album with a unique URL. Next, install the iOS app and log into your account. You'll see the albums and photos on your home computer (via Wi-Fi or 3G) as long as the host Mac is running and has an active Internet connection. From there you can share a photo or album via email, Facebook or TwitPic, order prints or save an image to your Camera Roll. Once you have the photo on your iPhone or iPad, you can edit it or modify it with any photo editor you have. %Gallery-161324% Photos shared via email can be viewed in Blinq if your recipient has it installed or in a browser. Having access to all my photos and being able to send them at full resolution is a very nice feature and somewhat makes up for the loss of similar features in MobileMe when that service was discontinued last month by Apple. I found the app reliable and speedy. It would be nice to create albums and slide shows, and I'm told that capability is coming. I'd also like to be able to send photos to others without them having to have a Blinq Photo account. That capability is also promised, but no dates were given. Documentation is sparse. There is no help built into the Mac or iOS app, but there is an FAQ on the company website. When you install the Blinq app on your Mac, it does so silently, never telling you it is done or what to do next. I think some users will be confused. The Blinq photo folks hope to make some money creating printed products from your photos, but there are no intrusive ads or popups nagging you about this. Blinq Photo is very clever and has much potential. It's secure, and your pictures are stored on your own computer rather than a server outside your control. The albums you send to others don't look as nice design-wise as the late, lamented MobileMe galleries, but it's a start. For those after a little more polish and don't mind sacrificing remote access to their image libraries, consider Apple's iPhoto for iOS. It's US$4.99 but will let you create and share albums online.
Steam store reveals a handful of new categories, hints at non-gaming app possibilities
Steam's Android app has thrown up a selection of new categories that point to the possibility of productivity apps and other types of non-gaming software being sold in the near-future. Ranging from photo editing to accounting, there's ten categories that aren't available on the desktop version. It would open up yet another branch for Valve, which already offers books and movies through its online store, but until these categories get fleshed-out -- they're currently empty -- we're left guessing as to what it's likely to offer.
Color Splash Studio has been scaled down for iOS
I liked Color Splash Studio when I reviewed it last fall as a Mac app. Now Color Splash Studio is available for iOS devices, and it has retained the features that made it a winner. Basically, you import a color photo from your camera roll, or take one live. You set the image to black and white, or some other monochrome color, and then paint the color back in to selected parts, like a flower or a face. The result can be quite artistic, and something different from the standard color image. Like all effects, it should not be over used, but when used sparingly and with thought it can be quite effective. You can adjust the size of the brush, and the cursor nicely magnifies so you can really see where you are painting. You can save images to your camera roll, or share on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. The app also supports AirPrint if you have a compatible printer. The app is not universal, so it's really an iPhone or Pod touch app. The app is on sale for a short time at US$0.99 and then goes back to $2.99. Color Splash Studio requires iOS 4.3 or greater. It's the kind of unique app that should be in your bag of tricks if you are an avid iPhone photographer. There are some screen shots and examples in the gallery below. %Gallery-158934%
Aviary launches photo editing application on iOS, turns Android plugin into an app
Last we heard, Aviary was being chosen to replace the deceased Picnik as the main photo editor on Flickr, and now the startup is getting ready to launch its first iOS app and give its previous Android offering a major boost. The Jeff Bezos-backed company has just announced its entry into the application game, giving iOS and Android folks access to an array of its image editing tools -- much like Apple's iPhoto on Cupertino devices or Photoshop Express on ones powered by Google's OS. Naturally, you'll be able to do run-of-the-mill tidbits such as cropping, rotating, sharpening and blurring, which are bundled alongside others like cosmetic tools, one-tap auto enhance and "gorgeous effects." It's also worth noting Aviary was once present on Google Play as a plugin, but has now made the change to a full-on, feature-packed application. Those interested in taking the fresh app for a spin can hit either of the source links below, where a mighty free download awaits you. %Gallery-158194%
Process is a clever and able photo editing app for iOS
There's no shortage of photo editing apps for iOS, and I am constantly amazed at the quality and the creativity of the offerings. Process (US $2.99 universal app) has some unique features that can breathe some new life into your photos. The app features non-destructive editing, so you can apply multiple filters with one layer for each effect. It feels a bit like using Adobe Photoshop on my desktop Mac, but Process is much simpler to use. Photos are saved in full resolution, unlike the somewhat disappointing Adobe Photoshop Touch app for iOS. You can save your effects to use again, or share with others. If you use the app on both an iPhone and an iPad you can transfer the effects between devices via the cloud. The app supports the new Retina Display on the latest iPad. Process is a pleasure to use. The app has many presets and they are quite good. At first glance, they are not as varied or extreme as some of the other filter apps out there, but frankly, that is what I like about them. There's nothing over the top, and your pictures stay naturalistic, which is my processing style. You can certainly push the effects quite a bit, but they never look like a bad LSD trip. The app doesn't have some of the more popular effects, like tilt-shift, but again, that's not what this app is about. You can add layer after layer of effects, remove any of them to see how your processing is going, and try different combinations, all without destroying the original image. Help is built-in and is comprehensive. If you want to do more dramatic filtering and processing, I still like Snapseed from NIK software, but I think Process is very well thought out, extremely flexible, and can improve your images without turning them into Andy Warhol type art. iPhoto is also an excellent choice for photo editing, but it has a higher learning curve. You can check the gallery for some screenshots. %Gallery-152562%
Flickr adopting Aviary for photo edits, waves goodbye to Picnik
With Google set to close the Picnik shop on April 19th, it was obvious that Flickr had to go out and seek a fresh replacement. Today, the Yahoo-owned service is announcing Aviary (a Jeff Bezos-backed startup) as the new photo editing tool on its site. Along with promising to be simpler and speedier than its soon-to-be deceased predecessor, Aviary brings expected features like cropping, rotating, sharpening, red-eye reduction and cosmetic whitening, just to mention a few. Of note, Aviary is written in HTML5, opening the doors to become useful on a handful of slates and handsets. Flickr is set to commence the rollout later today, though it may take a few days until you can check out the changes.
Sony's PlayMemories Studio now live on PSN, get your Playstation 3 photo-edit on
Yesterday's rumor about Sony launching PlayMemories Studio this week has just become fact. The $15 editing suite has just gone live on the PlayStation Store, enabling plebes to edit, organize and share photos (and video) right on their home console of choice, the PS3. Those with a spare Vita or PSP laying around can also put those to good use through Remote Play functionality. Unsure if Sony's couch-iPhoto experience is for you? Hit the source for more info on the whole shindig, in addition to details on how to get your creative side on with a gratis thirty day trial.
Adobe unveils Photoshop CS6 beta with redesigned UI and 65 new features, download it for free today
It's been two years since Adobe unveiled a new version of Photoshop, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company's engineers have been toiling away behind the scenes on a major update. The outfit's clearly ready to start showing off the fruits of its labor, though, as it just unveiled the beta version of CS6. All told, the outfit's added 65 user-feedback-inspired features, including a new crop tool, expanded video editing options, auto recovery and the ability to search for specific layers. Fans of the dotted lines in Illustrator now get the same vector tools in Photoshop. Additionally, every slider for the Camera Raw 7.0 plug-in (exposure, contrast, etc.) has a freshly tweaked algorithm. And for anyone who's ever looked on helplessly as Photoshop locked itself up during a long file save, projects can now save in the background while you work on other things. Looking for more info? A brief rundown of the beta and a full list of new features await you just past the break.
Adobe Lightroom 4 is a 'substantial upgrade' with a 50-percent price drop
Still content with Lightroom 3.5? Check out Version 4, which has just emerged from public beta, and you may decide it's time for an upgrade. The revision brings a long list of new features, including improved highlight and shadow processing, better video support, geo-tagging and a Book Module for self-publishing photo books via the Blurb online service. Then there's the clement pricing: $79 as an upgrade or $149 new. Still not sure? DPReview has a detailed assessment at the link below, so don't be jumping to conclusions til you've read it.
Adobe unveils Photoshop Touch for iPad 2 at MWC, slate-style photo editing for $10
Keeping its promise to include iOS users in the Photoshop-enabled slate party, Adobe has announced the arrival of its Photoshop Touch iPad app today at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Sporting a number of core PS features and new tools especially designed for use on tablets, the new release joins the Adobe Touch Apps family with further iOS software expected to drop in the coming months. This mobile version of Photoshop enables users to create layered images from several different photos, make edits, apply pro-style effects, touch up photos and carry out several other essential tasks directly on their Apple slate.A Scribble Selection Tool makes for easy deletion of unwanted objects simply by scribbling on what's a keeper and then on what needs to go. Refine Edge technology offers some help for those tedious soft-edged selections and integration with both Facebook and Google Image Search makes sharing your edits a breeze. The aforementioned upcoming iOS releases include Collage (moodboards), Debut (presenting and reviewing work), Ideas (sketches), Kuler (color exploration) and Proto (web and mobile application prototyping). But for now, you can snag Photoshop Touch for your iOS 5 wielding iPad 2 from the iTunes App Store for $9.99. If you're in search of some more details before taking the leap, hit the gallery of screenshots or the full PR below.
Snapseed photo editor for iOS free today only
Snapseed is one of my very favorite photo editors for the iPhone and iPad. It's normally US$4.99, but thanks to a New Year's Eve special it's absolutely free today. Snapseed includes the usual filters and cropping and straightening tools, but also adds frames and selective adjustments. It's just the app to bring some of your holiday pictures to life. So run, don't walk to the app store, and pick up Snapseed. I thought it was well worth the 5 dollar toll, but at a price of "free" it is a complete no-brainer.
Daily Mac App: Photo Police
Ever seen a photo and wondered if it is real or 'photoshopped'? Been to a dating site and wonder if the photo truly represents the person shown? Photo Police, a US$1.99 Mac app can often determine if a photo is real or fake. The app works by looking at low-bit pixel data, which can reveal if an image editor has made corrections or changes to software. Program author Nikolay Kropachev told me that low bit data is usually white noise, and invisible just by looking at an image. The program applies some math and reveals the low bit data; changes can show up very clearly. It can detect blurring that might be used in wrinkle removal, or show where objects were deleted from images. I tried it on some known fake photos and the changes were quite obvious to Photo Police. I also tried some photos that were purported to be iPhone prototypes, and they also showed some obvious meddling. I also tried it on some images where I used Photoshop content aware fill and it detected some of the changes even though the photo itself looked fine. In other areas of the image Photoshop was able to fool Photo Police. On a photo montage where I did sky replacement Photo Police detected the changes. The app can't guarantee it will find fakery, because some cameras may generate artifacts, and some image processing operations will make Photo Police think there has been an alteration rather than processing. In my tests, Photo Police worked quite well, and certainly would give you additional reasons to be suspicious about an image. You can't load raw images into Photo Police, it requires jpeg files. If you're interested in doing some detective work on images people send you, or things you find on the web, it's a very inexpensive and useful utility. Now I think I'll go chase some Bigfoot and UFO photos. Check the gallery for some examples of what Photo Police can detect. %Gallery-141937%
Spectral Layers takes a cue from Photoshop, offers visual audio editing
Seemingly cooked up in the Law and Order squad room comes Spectral Layers, a Photoshop-inspired audio editing software from Divide Frame. The visual tool allows users to isolate, enhance and chop sounds using multiple layers and channels -- giving them complete control over individual voices, instruments and background noises. The whole process takes place within a 3D real-time display with commands reminiscent of the tried and true photo correcting staple. The software will set you back $695 for a single Mac or PC download, or $2199 for multiple licenses -- a small price to pay for musicians, sound junkies or Benson and Stabler wannabes. Check out the video after the break.
Daily iPad app: Snapseed
It's an app with a funny name, but a lot of power. Snapseed, from Nik Software, is a powerful photo editor for the iPad. You can enhance color and exposure of any photo with a single click, or just tweak your photo using a variety of powerful tools that can transform a mundane photo into something compelling. The app also lets you crop, straighten and rotate an image, or even take new photos from within the app. Perhaps the most powerful tool in Snapseed is the ability to selectively filter an image. This comes from Nik's innovative U Point technology, which was perfected on Photoshop plug-ins that are used by the pros. It's impressive to see that same function being brought into an iOS app. I tried Snapseed on a variety of photos. The tools have an interesting user interface designed specifically for a touch screen. Slide your finger up and down and to reveal a list of tools. After you select an effect, slide left or right to decrease or increase the effect. After a bit of use, the operation becomes a reflex. In addition to the tools mentioned, Snapseed lets you create frames for your images, and can produce a very striking black-and-white image or emulate some old color film styles. There is a useful sharpening tool that does't just devolve into noise as so many others do. There is also a tilt-shift function and a very useful compare button to show you before and after images before you commit to your changes. Completed images can be shared via email, Facebook, Flickr or Twitter. I've just scratched the surface of what you can do with Snapseed. At US$4.99 it is not the cheapest photo editor on offer, but I think it is clearly among the most powerful. Snapseed is universal, so when you buy it you'll get the iPhone version as well. The app requires iOS 4.2 or later and is a 26 MB download. Check the gallery for some samples I created as I used the app. Highly recommended by me, and now Apple, as Snapseed has been named iPad app of the year. %Gallery-141299%
